U.S. patent number 7,222,855 [Application Number 10/949,989] was granted by the patent office on 2007-05-29 for poker blackjack game.
Invention is credited to Nicholas Sorge.
United States Patent |
7,222,855 |
Sorge |
May 29, 2007 |
Poker blackjack game
Abstract
A method for playing a modified blackjack game between a dealer
and at least one player. Each player places a first wager, the
outcome of which is determined by conventional rules of blackjack
play. Players may optionally place an additional wager or side bet
corresponding to a five-card poker hand made up of two cards dealt
to the player and three community cards. A predetermined multiple
of an amount of the additional wager is paid out or collected based
on the rank of the poker hand. Players may also place additional
wagers corresponding to a predicted color of their initial two card
hand.
Inventors: |
Sorge; Nicholas (Deer Park,
NY) |
Family
ID: |
36098134 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/949,989 |
Filed: |
September 24, 2004 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20060066050 A1 |
Mar 30, 2006 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/292;
273/274 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F
1/00 (20130101); A63F 2001/003 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63F
1/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;273/292,274 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Pamphlet: "Table Games", by Shuffle Master.TM. Inc., Las Vegas, NV
2004 (copy enclosed). cited by other.
|
Primary Examiner: Kim; Eugene
Assistant Examiner: Collins; Dolores R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Scully, Scott, Murphy &
Presser, P.C.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of playing a modified blackjack game between at least
one player and a dealer, using a standard deck of playing cards,
the method comprising the steps of: a) having at least one player
place a first wager to participate in the blackjack game, wherein
an outcome of said first wager is determined by conventional rules
of blackjack play; b) providing a first additional wager zone
disposed in a vicinity of each player, wherein said first
additional wager zone indicates a first color; c) providing a
second additional wager zone disposed in a vicinity of each player,
wherein said second additional wager zone indicates a second color;
d) providing a third additional wager zone disposed in a vicinity
of each player; e) having at least one player place a first
additional wager by placing one or more wagering devices in one or
more of said first and second additional wager zones corresponding
to a predicted color of an initial hand of two cards dealt to the
player placing said first additional wager; f) having at least one
player place a second additional wager by placing one or more
wagering devices in said third additional wager zone, wherein said
second additional wager corresponds to a five-card poker hand
comprising said initial hand of two cards dealt to the player
placing said second additional wager and three cards dealt as
community cards; g) dealing a first card to each player and to the
dealer; h) dealing a second card to each player; i) dealing three
community cards; j) determining a color of a first card and a
second card dealt to the player placing said first additional
wager; k) determining a rank of said five-card poker hand of the
player placing said second additional wager; l) collecting an
amount of said first additional wager if said first card and said
second card dealt to the player placing said first additional wager
are not of a same color or if said first card and said second card
are of a same color but said same color is not said predicted
color; m) paying a predetermined multiple of said amount of said
first additional wager if said first card and said second card
dealt to the player placing said first additional wager are of a
same color and said same color is said predicted color; n) paying
or collecting a predetermined multiple of an amount of said second
additional wager based on said rank of said five-card poker hand of
said player placing said second additional wager; o) dealing a
second card to the dealer; and p) completing the blackjack game
according to conventional rules of blackjack play.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of dealing
three community cards further comprises the step of dealing three
community cards face up in a central location with respect to all
players and the dealer.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining
a rank of said five-card poker hand of the player placing said
second additional wager further comprises the step of selecting
said rank from the group consisting of royal flush, straight flush,
four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two
pair, pair and no hand.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first color is
black and said second color is red.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of paying a
predetermined multiple of said amount of said first additional
wager further comprises paying a greater predetermined multiple of
said amount of said first additional wager if said first card and
said second card dealt to the player placing said first additional
wager are of a same suit.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of casino gaming. More
particularly, the invention relates to variations or modifications
of the card game known as blackjack or twenty-one. The invention
further relates to a card game which incorporates features of a
poker game with blackjack or twenty-one.
2. The Prior Art
Blackjack or twenty-one is a well-known casino card game. Blackjack
is played with one or more standard decks of 52 playing cards. The
playing cards comprise two colors: black and red, and four suits:
spades, clubs, hearts and diamonds. The suits of spades and clubs
are typically black in color and the suits of hearts and diamonds
are typically red in color. Each numbered card (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
8, 9 and 10) is assigned a point value equal to its number. Face
cards (kings, queens, and jacks)are assigned a point value of ten.
Aces are assigned a point value of either one or eleven at the
discretion of a player holding a hand which includes an ace.
Blackjack is typically played on a table having a straight edge
behind which a dealer stands and a semi-circular edge around which
one or more players are positioned. The maximum number of players
at a table may be, for example, six. The blackjack table may have a
top surface covered with felt or another material which is
imprinted with various indicia. These various indicia may include
text describing basic and house rules of play and may indicate
areas where players' cards are to be dealt and where players' bets
are to be placed.
The object of blackjack is for a player to accumulate a hand of
cards which has a point total exceeding that of the blackjack
dealer, without exceeding twenty-one. Numbered cards have a point
value which equals their number value. Face cards (kings, queens,
and jacks) are assigned a point value of ten and aces are assigned
a point value of either one or eleven as determined by the person
holding the hand including one or more aces. A two-card hand having
a point total of twenty-one is known as blackjack.
Blackjack play is commenced by a player making an initial wager or
bet on the outcome of the upcoming hand. An amount of this initial
bet, also known as an ante, may be regulated between a minimum and
maximum amount set by the casino or house for the particular table
of play. Players typically indicate their bet or wager by placing
an appropriate number of chips or markers, each of which has a
designated value or values assigned to it, in a designated area of
the blackjack table.
Following the placing of bets or wagers, the dealer deals cards to
each player and to himself or herself. Each player and the dealer
are initially dealt two cards. Each of the players' cards is dealt
face up. The dealer's initial two cards are typically dealt one
face up and one face down. The dealer generally deals one card to
each player in turn, starting from the dealer's left and proceeding
to the dealer's right. The dealer then deals a card to himself or
herself and proceeds to deal a second card to each player, again
moving from left to right and to himself or herself.
After the dealer and the players have been dealt an initial hand of
two cards, each player in turn elects to receive one or more
additional cards ("hit") or to take no additional cards ("stand").
A player may elect to take additional cards until they decide to
stand or until the point total of the player's hand exceeds
twenty-one, known as "busting." Once all players have either
received their desired number of cards or have busted, the dealer
elects to take additional cards or to stand. Under most rules, a
dealer is not permitted to receive additional cards if the dealer's
existing hand has a total point value of seventeen or greater and a
dealer is required to take an additional card if the dealer's
existing hand has a point total of less than seventeen.
Once all of the players and the dealer have either received a
desired number of cards or have busted, the outcome of the game is
determined. A player wins if either the point total for a
particular hand. In either event, the winning player is paid an
amount equal to his or her initial bet in addition to receiving his
or her initial bet back. If the dealer's hand exceeds that of a
player's or if a player busts, that player loses and forfeits his
or her bet. If a dealer's point total for a hand equals that of a
player, a tie or push is declared and that player receives his or
her initial bet back.
Poker is another well-known card game played with one or more
standard decks of playing cards. A poker hand may comprise five
cards held by a player. A poker hand is assigned a particular rank
or category based on the cards making up the hand. The poker hand
ranks are arranged in a hierarchical order such that a player with
the highest ranking hand in a round wins that round.
Typical poker hand ranks or categories, listed in order from
highest to lowest rank include a royal flush, a straight flush,
four of a kind, a full house, a flush, a straight, three of a kind,
two pair, and one pair. A royal flush may be a five card hand
consisting of an ace, a king, a queen, a jack, and a ten all of the
same suit. A straight flush may be a five card hand consisting of
five cards of the same suit in sequence. For example a hand
consisting of a jack of clubs, a ten of clubs, a nine of clubs, an
eight of clubs and a seven of clubs would be ranked as a straight
flush.
Four of a kind may be a five card hand including four cards of the
same rank, four example four threes. A full house may be a five
card hand consisting of three cards of one rank and two cards of
another rank, for example three kings and two sixes. A flush may be
a five card hand consisting of five cards of the same suit. A
straight may be a five card hand consisting of five cards of
various suits in sequence. For example, a hand consisting of a ten
of clubs, a nine of hearts, an eight of diamonds, a seven of spades
and a six of diamonds would be ranked as a straight.
Three of a kind may be a five card hand including three cards of
the same rank, for example three queens. Two pair may be a five
card hand including two cards of one rank and two cards of another
rank, for example two jacks and two sevens. A pair may be a five
card hand including two cards of the same rank, for example two
fours.
A five card hand which does not form a combination indicated above
may be known as nothing or a may be ranked according to a highest
card in the hand.
The conventional game of blackjack described above has been
supplemented with a number of alternative betting procedures,
including insurance, doubling down, and splitting pairs.
Additionally, various methods or procedures relating to variations
on or modifications of a conventional blackjack or poker game are
disclosed in the following references, the disclosure of which is
hereby incorporated by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,041 to Jones
et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,586 to Marks et al.; U.S. Pat. No.
5,863,042 to Lo; U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,675 to Handelman et al.; U.S.
Pat. No. 6,113,102 to Marks et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,456 to
Long; U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,500 to Miller; U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,020 to
Broadnax; U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,767 to Keller; U.S. Pat. No.
6,692,003 to Potter et al.; and U.S. Patent Publication Nos.
2003/0222400 to Collins et al.; 2003/0218303 to Walker et al.; and
2003/0057648 to Webb.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to the field of casino gaming. More
particularly, the invention relates to variations or modifications
of the card game known as blackjack or twenty-one. The invention
further relates to a card game which incorporates features of a
poker game with blackjack or twenty-one.
In a method according to an embodiment of the invention, a modified
blackjack game is played between at least one player and a dealer
using a standard deck of playing cards. Each player places a first
wager in order to become eligible to participate in the blackjack
game. The outcome of the first wager is determined in accordance
with conventional rules of a blackjack play and is dependant upon
the final hands of cards drawn by the dealer and the individual
player placing the first wager.
An additional wager zone is provided in a vicinity of each player.
Each player may optionally place an additional wager or side bet by
placing one or more wagering devices in the additional wager zone
associated with the player placing the additional wager. The
additional wager corresponds to a five-card poker hand comprising
an initial hand of two cards dealt to the player placing the
additional wager and three cards dealt as community cards. A first
card is dealt to each player and the dealer and a second card is
dealt to each player. Three community cards, which may be dealt
face up in a central location, are dealt.
A rank of the five-card hand dealt to each player electing to place
an additional wager is determined. For example, the five-card hand
may be categorized as a royal flush, a straight flush, four of a
kind, a full house, a flush, a straight, three of a kind, two pair
or no hand. A predetermined multiple of the amount of the
additional wager is paid out or collected based on the rank of the
five-card poker hand. A second card is dealt to the dealer and the
blackjack game is complete according to conventional rules of
blackjack play.
In a method according to another embodiment of the invention, a
modified blackjack game is played between at least one player and a
dealer using a standard deck of playing cards. Each player places a
first wager in order to become eligible to participate in the
blackjack game. The outcome of the first wager is determined in
accordance with conventional rules of a blackjack play and is
dependant upon the final hands of cards drawn by the dealer and the
individual player placing the first wager.
A first additional wager zone indicating a fist color, for example
black, is provided in a vicinity of each player. A second
additional wager zone indicating a second color, for example red,
is provided in a vicinity of each player. A third additional wager
zone is also disposed in a vicinity of each player.
Each player may optionally place a first additional wager or side
bet by placing one or more wagering devices in the first or second
additional wager zone associated with the player placing the first
additional wager and corresponding to a predicted color of an
initial hand of two cards dealt to the player. Each player may
optionally place a second additional wager or side bet by placing
one or more wagering devices in the third additional wager zone
associated with the player placing the second additional wager. The
third additional wager corresponds to a five-card poker hand
comprising the initial hand of two cards dealt to the player and
three cards dealt as community cards. A first card is dealt to each
player and the dealer and a second card is dealt to each player.
Three community cards, which may be dealt face up in a central
location, are dealt.
A color of a first card and a second card dealt to each player
electing to place a first additional wager is determined and a rank
of the five-card poker hand of each player electing to place a
third additional wager is determined.
An amount of the first additional wager is collected if the first
card and second card dealt to the player placing the first
additional wager are not the same color or if the first card and
the second card are the same color but are not the predicted color.
A predetermined multiple of an amount of the first additional wager
is paid to the player placing the first additional wager if the
first card and second card dealt to the player are the same color
and the color is the predicted color. A higher predetermined
multiple may be paid out if the first card and second card dealt to
the player placing a first additional wager are the same color and
suit and the color is the predicted color.
A predetermined multiple of the amount of the second additional
wager is paid out or collected based on the rank of the five-card
poker hand. A second card is dealt to the dealer and the blackjack
game is completed according to conventional rules of blackjack
play.
An advantage of a modified blackjack game according to an
embodiment of the invention is that a blackjack player is given an
option to place an additional wager or side bet corresponding to a
five-card poker hand comprising an initial hand of two cards dealt
to the player and three community cards, wherein the option to
place an additional wager increases player interest and casino
revenue. A game according to an embodiment of the invention may be
based on any blackjack or twenty-one game.
Other advantages of a modified blackjack game according to an
embodiment of the invention are that the modified game is simple to
learn and play and that the outcome of an additional wager or side
bet may be independent of an outcome of a first wager, thereby
providing a player with increased possibilities for winning in a
particular game. A further advantage of a modified blackjack game
according to an embodiment of the invention is that the provision
of a five-card poker hand allows for a variety of ranks of poker
hands and a corresponding variety of predetermined payout
ratios.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other benefits and features of the present invention will become
apparent from the following detailed description considered in
connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood,
however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and
not as a definition of the limits of the invention.
In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote
similar elements:
FIG. 1 shows a top view of a playing surface which can be used to
play a modified blackjack game according to an embodiment of the
invention; and
FIG. 2 shows a top view of a playing surface which can be used to
play a modified blackjack game according to another embodiment of
the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now in detail to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a top view of
a top surface of a blackjack table which can be used to play a
modified blackjack game according to an embodiment of the
invention.
One or more players, for example six players, sit or stand adjacent
to a front, semi-circular portion of a blackjack table. A dealer is
positioned behind a back edge of the table, facing the one or more
players.
One or more first wager locations or zones 10 are provided for
players to make a first wager in order to be eligible to
participate in a particular game or round of play. A player may
indicate a first wager by placing one or more chips, markers, or
other wagering devices in a first wager location 10 associated with
that player. Each chip or marker may have a predetermined value.
The amount of a first wager which a player may make for a
particular game or table may be regulated between certain maximum
and minimum values by a casino or other authority. An outcome of
each player's first wager is determined at the conclusion of a
particular game in accordance with conventional rules of blackjack
play by comparing a player's final hand total point value to a
dealer's final hand total point value.
One or more additional wager locations or zones 20 are provided for
players to make an additional wager which corresponds to a
five-card poker hand comprising an initial hand of two cards dealt
to a player making an additional wager and three common community
cards. The placing of an additional wager may be optional, and a
player may elect not to place an additional wager in a particular
game or round of play and still participate in that particular game
or round of play, provided the player has made a first wager.
A player electing to make an additional wager may indicate an
additional wager by placing one or more wagering devices, such as
chips or markers, within an additional wager zone 20 associated
with that player. The amount of an additional wager which a player
may place for a particular game or table may be regulated between
certain maximum and minimum values by a casino or other
authority.
Following the placing of first and any additional wagers, a dealer
deals a card to each player who has made a first wager in
succession from left to right and a card to the dealer himself or
herself. The dealer deals a second card to each player who has
received a first card. Three common or community cards are dealt.
Preferably, the three community cards are dealt face up and
positioned in a central portion of the blackjack table with respect
to all of the players and the dealer so that the community cards
may be easily viewed by the dealer and players.
Cards may be dealt from one or more standard decks of 52 cards,
preferably from a single standard deck. An automatic card shuffler
may be used for shuffling the deck.
After a player electing to make an additional bet has received a
second card, and the three community cards have been dealt, a rank
of a five-card poker hand comprising the two cards dealt to the
player and the three community cards is determined. For example the
five-card poker hand may comprise a royal flush (an ace, king,
queen, jack and ten all in the same suit), a straight flush (five
cards of the same suit in sequence), four of a kind, a full house
(three of a kind and a pair), a flush (five cards of the same
suit), a straight (five cards in sequence), three of a kind, two
pair or a single pair.
A predetermined multiple of an amount of the additional wager is
collected from the player placing the additional wager or paid to
the player placing the additional wager based on the rank of that
player's five-card poker hand. Generally, the higher the rank of
the five-card poker hand achieved by the player, the greater the
predetermined multiple or payout ratio. For example, a five-card
poker hand comprising a royal flush may pay out at a ratio of
5000:1, a straight flush at a ratio of 1000:1, four of a kind at a
ratio of 100:1, a full house at a ratio of 75:1, a flush at a ratio
of 50:1, a straight at a ratio of 25:1, three of a kind at a ratio
of 10:1, and two pairs at a ratio of 5:1.
Additionally a five card poker hand comprising a single pair or
lower may pay at a ratio of -1:1. In other words, a player making
an additional wager based on a rank of the five-card poker hand
comprising an initial hand of two cards dealt to the player and
three community cards, who achieves a five-card poker hand of a
pair or nothing may forfeit an amount of that player's additional
wager which may be collected by the dealer or house.
The payout ratios listed above are exemplary only and may be
adjusted by a particular casino or other authority. For example the
payout ratios may be adjusted to raise or lower the "house
advantage" associated with a particular embodiment of a game
according to the invention.
Furthermore, a particular card pair may have one payout ratio
associated with it and another card pair may have another,
different payout ratio associated with it. For example, a pair of
jacks, kings queens or aces ("jacks or better") may pay out at a
ratio of 3:1, whereas a pair of twos, threes, fours, fives, sixes,
sevens, eights, nines or tens may pay out at a ratio of -1:1.
A second card is dealt to the dealer and the game is completed
according to conventional rules of blackjack play.
FIG. 2 shows a top view of a top surface of a blackjack table which
can be used to play a modified blackjack game according to another
embodiment of the invention.
In this embodiment of the invention, a modified blackjack game is
played between a dealer and at least one player as described above.
However, a first additional wager zone 21 corresponding to a first
color, for example black, and a second additional wager zone 22
corresponding to a second color, for example red, are provided in a
vicinity of each player. First and second additional wager zones 21
and 22 may indicate a particular color by incorporating text, for
example reading "BLACK" or "RED", or may display the corresponding
indicated color. A third additional wager zone 20 corresponding to
a five-card poker hand as described above is also provided in a
vicinity of each player.
A player may place a first additional wager by placing one or more
wagering devices, such as chips or markers, in one or more of the
first and second additional wager zones 21, 22. A first additional
wager corresponds to a predicted color of both cards of an initial
hand of two cards dealt to the player placing a first additional
wager.
A player may place a second additional wager by placing one or more
wagering devices, such as chips or markers, in third additional
wager zone 20. A third additional wager corresponds to a five-card
poker hand made up of an initial two-card hand dealt to the player
placing the third additional wager and three community cards.
A first card is dealt to each player and to the dealer and a second
card is dealt to each player. Three common or community cards are
dealt, preferably face up in a location easily visible to all
players and the dealer.
A color of a first card and a second card dealt to a player placing
a first additional wager is determined. A rank of the five-card
poker hand dealt to a player placing a second additional wager is
determined.
If a player places a first additional wager and the first card and
second card dealt to that player are different colors or are the
same color but not the predicted color, that player forfeits an
amount of the first additional wager, which may be collected by the
dealer. For example, if a player places a first additional wager by
placing a wagering device on first additional wager zone 21
corresponding to black, and that player draws an initial two card
hand consisting of two red cards or a black card and a red card,
the player loses the first additional wager and an amount of the
first additional wager may be collected by the dealer.
If a player places a first additional wager and a first card and a
second card dealt to that player are a same color and that color is
the predicted color, the player is paid a predetermined multiple of
an amount of the first additional wager. For example, if a player
placed a first additional wager by placing a wagering device on
first additional wager zone 21 corresponding to black, and that
player draws an initial two card hand consisting of two black
cards, the player wins the first additional wager and is paid a
predetermined amount of the first additional wager.
A greater predetermined multiple of an amount of the first
additional wager may be paid if a player places a first additional
wager and draws an initial two-card hand consisting of two cards of
the same suit which correspond to the predicted color. For example,
a player making a first additional wager by placing a wagering
device in second additional wager zone 22 corresponding to a
predicted color of red who draws a "suited" hand consisting of two
hearts or two diamonds may be paid a higher predetermined multiple
of an amount of the first additional wager than a player making the
same wager and drawing a heart and a diamond card.
A player may place a second additional wager corresponding to a
five-card poker hand by placing one or more wagering devices, such
as chips or markers in third additional wager zone 20. An outcome
of a third additional wager may be determined as described with
respect to FIG. 1 above.
Following the settling of any first and second additional wagers, a
second cad may be dealt to the dealer and the blackjack game may be
completed according to conventional rules of blackjack play.
Accordingly, while several embodiments of the present invention
have been shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and
modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *